Boring: The Market Price for Inflatable Lobsters

by Art Fag City on July 10, 2008 · 22 comments Blurb + Newswire

lobster.jpg
Jeff Koons, Bike Rack, 2004 Image via Artnet

I’m not sure why I’ve received all manner of emails about the fact that some sucker bought the same inflatable Sunco Lobster Rider Jeff Koons used as a source for sculptural works (such as the one above) on ebay for $736.58, but I can tell you I don’t think it’s nearly as interesting as those who have sent me the tips. I suppose it’s no coincidence all of these people seem to have some connection with the seller, Charles Lutz, an artist who says he worked for Koons, and is the man behind warholdenied.com, a “conceptual” art project whereby the artist creates fake Warhols and sends them into the authentication board to be denied.

Given the sketchy emails sent to me prior to the publication of the Chicago Tribune piece, and a track record of ill-conceived projects executed with an interest in deception (albeit futile), I did a little research on ebay in the hopes of understanding why Charles Lutz managed to sell his inflatable lobster for so much when the going price is several hundred dollars below this. The results thus far are boring. I haven’t been able to make contact with the buyer, but outward appearances indicate suckerism.

UPDATE: To be clear, the same buyer paid $2100 for a Koons reindeer paddleball, which can easily be found for half that and skateboard decks signed by David Shrigley and Liam Gillick.Β  Thanks Greg!

{ 22 comments }

greg.org July 10, 2008 at 11:45 pm

FWIW, the same bidder paid $2100 for a Koons reindeer paddleball, which can easily be found for half that.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260254908044

Their other recent purchases are skateboard decks signed by David Shrigley and Liam Gillick. Sounds like someone with a little money and a thing for name brand art tchotchkes, not so mysterious.

greg.org July 10, 2008 at 11:45 pm

FWIW, the same bidder paid $2100 for a Koons reindeer paddleball, which can easily be found for half that.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260254908044

Their other recent purchases are skateboard decks signed by David Shrigley and Liam Gillick. Sounds like someone with a little money and a thing for name brand art tchotchkes, not so mysterious.

greg.org July 10, 2008 at 11:45 pm

FWIW, the same bidder paid $2100 for a Koons reindeer paddleball, which can easily be found for half that.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260254908044

Their other recent purchases are skateboard decks signed by David Shrigley and Liam Gillick. Sounds like someone with a little money and a thing for name brand art tchotchkes, not so mysterious.

greg.org July 10, 2008 at 11:45 pm

FWIW, the same bidder paid $2100 for a Koons reindeer paddleball, which can easily be found for half that.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260254908044

Their other recent purchases are skateboard decks signed by David Shrigley and Liam Gillick. Sounds like someone with a little money and a thing for name brand art tchotchkes, not so mysterious.

greg.org July 10, 2008 at 6:45 pm

FWIW, the same bidder paid $2100 for a Koons reindeer paddleball, which can easily be found for half that.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=260254908044

Their other recent purchases are skateboard decks signed by David Shrigley and Liam Gillick. Sounds like someone with a little money and a thing for name brand art tchotchkes, not so mysterious.

Belvoir July 11, 2008 at 12:20 am

Thank you for saying this. A Koons Lobster could sell for $70 million, and would still be incredibly tedious, and about an inch deep in meaning. If that.

Keep up the good work. Enjoy your site, and your well-placed skepticism.

Belvoir July 10, 2008 at 7:20 pm

Thank you for saying this. A Koons Lobster could sell for $70 million, and would still be incredibly tedious, and about an inch deep in meaning. If that.

Keep up the good work. Enjoy your site, and your well-placed skepticism.

Brian Sherwin the Myartspace B July 11, 2008 at 6:15 pm

Ebay can be fun for a cheap laugh. I like to watch people bicker over their ‘style’ being stolen by another artist who ends up selling for a higher price. It is also funny when someone discovers that the Picasso they won on Ebay is a fake. Maybe I’m just sadistic?

Brian Sherwin the Myartspace B July 11, 2008 at 6:15 pm

Ebay can be fun for a cheap laugh. I like to watch people bicker over their ‘style’ being stolen by another artist who ends up selling for a higher price. It is also funny when someone discovers that the Picasso they won on Ebay is a fake. Maybe I’m just sadistic?

Brian Sherwin the Myartspace B July 11, 2008 at 6:15 pm

Ebay can be fun for a cheap laugh. I like to watch people bicker over their ‘style’ being stolen by another artist who ends up selling for a higher price. It is also funny when someone discovers that the Picasso they won on Ebay is a fake. Maybe I’m just sadistic?

Brian Sherwin the Myartspace B July 11, 2008 at 6:15 pm

Ebay can be fun for a cheap laugh. I like to watch people bicker over their ‘style’ being stolen by another artist who ends up selling for a higher price. It is also funny when someone discovers that the Picasso they won on Ebay is a fake. Maybe I’m just sadistic?

Brian Sherwin the Myartspace Blog July 11, 2008 at 1:15 pm

Ebay can be fun for a cheap laugh. I like to watch people bicker over their ‘style’ being stolen by another artist who ends up selling for a higher price. It is also funny when someone discovers that the Picasso they won on Ebay is a fake. Maybe I’m just sadistic?

t.whid July 11, 2008 at 6:46 pm

At the risk of being labeled a cretin…

I think this Koons sculpture is great!

But I loved Hirst’s first big show at Gagosian NYC (way back when it was in Soho) so I guess my taste is questionable.

πŸ™‚

t.whid July 11, 2008 at 6:46 pm

At the risk of being labeled a cretin…

I think this Koons sculpture is great!

But I loved Hirst’s first big show at Gagosian NYC (way back when it was in Soho) so I guess my taste is questionable.

πŸ™‚

t.whid July 11, 2008 at 6:46 pm

At the risk of being labeled a cretin…

I think this Koons sculpture is great!

But I loved Hirst’s first big show at Gagosian NYC (way back when it was in Soho) so I guess my taste is questionable.

πŸ™‚

t.whid July 11, 2008 at 6:46 pm

At the risk of being labeled a cretin…

I think this Koons sculpture is great!

But I loved Hirst’s first big show at Gagosian NYC (way back when it was in Soho) so I guess my taste is questionable.

πŸ™‚

t.whid July 11, 2008 at 1:46 pm

At the risk of being labeled a cretin…

I think this Koons sculpture is great!

But I loved Hirst’s first big show at Gagosian NYC (way back when it was in Soho) so I guess my taste is questionable.

πŸ™‚

zdagen November 3, 2008 at 8:44 pm

This guy is a local over here in the York Pa. area, we all think it’s absolutly retarded! ( No offense to those “challanged”, but to buy this peice of garbage for that much you MUST be hit in the head w/ a brick and be labeled as such! Have fun, I look fwd. to more of his “art”!

zdagen November 3, 2008 at 8:44 pm

This guy is a local over here in the York Pa. area, we all think it’s absolutly retarded! ( No offense to those “challanged”, but to buy this peice of garbage for that much you MUST be hit in the head w/ a brick and be labeled as such! Have fun, I look fwd. to more of his “art”!

zdagen November 3, 2008 at 8:44 pm

This guy is a local over here in the York Pa. area, we all think it’s absolutly retarded! ( No offense to those “challanged”, but to buy this peice of garbage for that much you MUST be hit in the head w/ a brick and be labeled as such! Have fun, I look fwd. to more of his “art”!

zdagen November 3, 2008 at 8:44 pm

This guy is a local over here in the York Pa. area, we all think it’s absolutly retarded! ( No offense to those “challanged”, but to buy this peice of garbage for that much you MUST be hit in the head w/ a brick and be labeled as such! Have fun, I look fwd. to more of his “art”!

zdagen November 3, 2008 at 3:44 pm

This guy is a local over here in the York Pa. area, we all think it’s absolutly retarded! ( No offense to those “challanged”, but to buy this peice of garbage for that much you MUST be hit in the head w/ a brick and be labeled as such! Have fun, I look fwd. to more of his “art”!

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